MAPUSA
The issue of loud music was the focal point of an intense discussion during a unique meeting with North Goa Superintendent of Police (SP) Akshat Kaushal on Wednesday evening.
The meeting, held at the Anjuna Police Station, saw a significant turnout of local residents eager to express their grievances about the persistent noise pollution along the Anjuna-Vagator coastal belt.
Residents complained about the incessant blaring of loud music from clubs and restaurants that operate along the coastal stretch, causing a continuous disturbance both day and night. The complainants specifically named several notorious establishments known for their loud music, demanding stringent action against these offenders.
SP Akshat Kaushal’s visit to the Anjuna Police Station was part of a fortnightly initiative aimed at personally attending to the public’s grievances by visiting different police stations in North Goa. This initiative provided a platform for the local residents of Anjuna and Vagator to directly communicate their concerns to the senior police officer.
During the meeting, the residents highlighted the chronic issue of noise pollution caused by clubs and restaurants that play music beyond the legally mandated 10 PM deadline.
“Several clubs and restaurants play loud music beyond the mandatory 10 PM deadline. The blaring music goes on all night and all the people have to suffer because of it,” a local resident pointed out, emphasising the widespread impact of the issue on the community.
The unexpected volume of complaints regarding loud music took the Superintendent of Police by surprise.
In response, SP Kaushal urged the residents to formalise their grievances by filing written complaints.
Seizing the opportunity, the attendees listed the names of the clubs and restaurants that were in violation of the law and promptly filed formal complaints at the police station.
One resident expressed his frustration, stating, “We have lodged many complaints with authorities concerned raising our voice against the ongoing noise pollution in the village. There has been no action even from police.”
He further elaborated on the adverse effects of the loud music, particularly on children’s studies, which are regularly disrupted by the noise.
